Pol Lozano and his farewell to his friend Joan Garcia: "I'm happy for him, but like a parakeet, it hurts."

With the departure of Joan Garcia and the imminent renewal of Javi Puado, Pol Lozano (Sant Quirze del Vallès, 1999) is now the player who most embodies what it means to be an Espanyol player . A youth academy player, captain, and a fighter to find a place in the first team (he had to gain experience in Girona and Granada), he now analyzes the present and future of the club, aware that he must "take a step forward" and that, with Manolo González and Fran Garagarza, the club is building an identity.

Before talking about you and the season, there's a very current topic that, as captain, also touches you deeply. How have you experienced everything that happened with Joan Garcia?

Joan is a very good friend of mine. I'd talked to him, but not about this option. Not because he didn't want to, but because it wasn't a possibility either. We talked when the Arsenal thing happened and other clubs, but Barça wasn't a club he was linked with until the end of the season. I haven't spoken to him about it . Honestly, I thought he was going to go to the Premier League . I knew he'd be important there and that he'd be fine because it was a game that benefits him.

How have you been receiving the news?

I've experienced it from the outside. I've been following him, like everyone else, through social media or what I've heard, but I haven't spoken to him at all.

Have you sent any messages to the staff?

Not yet. I don't know when it will be official, but when it is, I assume he'll obviously send it.

What is your relationship with him like?

Joan is a true gem. He's a person who's very well-liked in the locker room. I'm a very good friend of his.

Do you understand the decision you have made?

I've been a parakeet all my life, and never in my life have I seen an Espanyol player go to Barça with my own eyes. I've never seen it. For me, it's something new that shocks me because I haven't seen it. But there are many things to consider here. You have to look at the teams that were interested in him, those that were going to pay his release clause as efficiently as Barça did. He's also in his hometown. There are many factors that led him to make that decision. I'm a parakeet, and this situation shocks me. I'm happy for him, but as a parakeet, it obviously hurts.

“There are more things in football, like giving respect to what my grandfather taught me.”

Is Barça a red line for you?

I've lived my whole life at Espanyol. I know what Espanyol stands for, and I believe there's much more to football than respecting what my grandfather taught me, what my father taught me, and what many other perica fans have taught me. In this case, I'd think about respecting them. It would be much harder for me.

Has this been your best year?

Without a doubt, 100%.

Do you think you've made a step forward in your defensive work this year?

Since I was little, I've always been better without the ball than with it. It's obvious I've taken a step forward, but having the coach's confidence has helped me. I wanted to play in the First Division, after Granada, Girona, and Espanyol in the Second Division. I wanted to prove I could do it, and I knew I had to take a step forward because otherwise I wouldn't get there.

Has wearing the number 10 put more pressure on you?

At first, maybe so. It wasn't my intention to wear it. I kept it because several things happened and perhaps it put extra pressure on me, but there's nothing better than playing in the First Division with Espanyol, so there's no pressure.

This year, do you feel you need to take another step forward in terms of leadership within the team?

I'm 25 years old, and this will be my eighth season in the first team. Last year, I became captain, and this year I have to take another step forward in leadership. But I've been at Espanyol all my life, and for me, it's more than a challenge, it's a dream.

Why has Manolo González fit in so well with the team and the fans?

He's a very approachable person; you can talk to him. When you're not playing or things aren't going well, he's the one who even comes over to talk to you to calm you down. People also see that closeness with the players. The way he speaks in press conferences is the same in real life. He's very original. People see that quickly, and that's why he's fit in so well.

“Manolo is very original: the way he speaks in press conferences is the same in real life.”

How did you experience the moment after the Girona match?

At no point did I think he could be sacked if he lost. Personally, I never thought so. It's true that the Girona game was a disaster and the team was in bad shape. That's a reality. But from the inside, I think Fran (Garagarza) did well because he was working hard, even if the results weren't coming out. Things weren't going his way, but in the long run, you knew they would work out based on how we were working.

You know Miguel Rubio well, what can he bring to the team?

I got along very well with him at Granada. He's a player who struggled to reach the First Division. He's had to work hard throughout his life. They haven't made it easy for him, and if he's here, it's because he's earned it. He's a player who will give us performances; he's very much in the style Manolo wants, and he's a reliable defensive player who wins duels. He's quite practical when it comes to passing the ball. He's a pure duel, a player of character, and I would have him on the team 100%.

You're friends with Roberto Fernández; you share WhatsApp groups. What has he told you about Espanyol?

We spoke to him when he was here, and he said he wanted to stay. I don't think he's changed his mind. If there's even the slightest chance, he'll do his part.

Why is he the ideal striker for Espanyol?

He's the ideal player for how we play and how we want to play in the future. He's the team's fastest runner, covering 13 kilometers per game, many of them at high intensity, and that's a great advantage for a team like Espanyol. He's shy, but he's Andalusian, and when he lets loose... We get along really well.

Are you afraid that the squad will have to be rebuilt?

As a player, I want us to be guaranteed the chance to compete in the First Division. Players find out about signings through social media, just like any fan. I want the club to compete in the First Division and build a good team... We'll struggle; we're Espanyol, but we need guarantees that we'll have a good squad.

“We will suffer, but we need guarantees that we will have a good squad.”

Urko was a key player in the second half of the season. Do you see him ready to replace Zubimendi at Real Sociedad ?

He told us he lacked that confidence at Real Sociedad. He's more than ready to replace Zubimendi; he'll perform at his best. I think we need a profile like Urko, a big, defensive midfielder who would suit all of us: me, Gragera, Expósito... He's the ideal fit.

You went on two loan spells before establishing yourself. What advice would you give to young players?

A lot of new players came in to coach, but the young players got frustrated if they weren't called up to the first team. Now the process is speeding up, but everything takes time. I was loaned out twice, Puado was at Zaragoza... The loan period is important for maturing and realizing things outside your comfort zone. I would tell them to learn to live away from home and be patient.

Is it a good bet to sign players from the Second Division and First Division RFEF?

Since they haven't played in the First Division, you don't know how they performed. But you gain equity. If they play well, you own them, not others. They're young; they can go out on loan. This approach is an alternative to signing proven players in the First Division, because if you want to save money, you have to have them. But as a club, it's a very good mentality: young players who have to prove themselves.

And, in this context, what do you think about the creation of the second subsidiary?

I think it's a great idea. I've never seen a second reserve team at Espanyol. There were many players who were at the level, but they didn't make it to the reserve team and fell by the wayside. I think it's a good idea. Saúl Coca, for example, was on my team, went to Las Palmas , and was at Torino. He wasn't considered in the youth team here, and now he's one of the best center-backs in Serie A.

Do you think Fran Garagarza and Manolo González are giving Espanyol an identity?

We're on the path to giving it an identity. Before, it seemed like there wasn't a clear idea. Players were signed with profiles the coach didn't want, players who didn't fit the team. With Fran, we're giving value to young players, to those who are parakeets, and those who arrive have a specific profile... And that's his credit.